Thank God thats over with

I can only describe this season as like a TV series that has gone on for too many series or episodes and whilst being Ok at times had mostly lost the plot. I have reached the stage where pretty well every game has been one too many and at last yesterday reached the finishing line with a game to spare. If it had gone on to next week then the results yesterday that would have caused that would, I believe have led to our relegation. Team Selection was not really at all surprising yesterday as it followed pretty well the GC trend which featured a very defensive midfield three of Ogogo, Upson and Ollie Clarke with Holmes-Dennis playing as a wing backand Sercombe sort of floating in front of them but more to the wide positions and what was a lonely, almost lost Harris-Clarke playing on his own up front really because in truth no player has been found over the half season to hold down a place with consistent enough performances. Behind the midfield was Partington , Lockyer, Craig and James Clarke playing as a back four.



It certainly wasn't pretty to watch. I must make clear that a strong wind in Fleetwoods favour first half was hardly going to lead to a good game of attractive football and add to that the fact that one team could play with the freedom of knowing their season was over and the other the pressure of still being in a battle for safety and it all added up to a tense game that from a watching point of view was only made easier by the news that Plymouth were 4-0 down and Scunthorpe 3-0 down that effectively meant we were mathematically safe barring miracle comebacks.



Anyway the game could be summed up as probably being a fair result with little in the way of real goalmouth action at either end and neither team really taking advantage when the weather was in their favour. my main disappointment was that we didn't go for it in the second half when surely the Manager knew the other scores and yet only made an attacking substitution late in the game and even that was not a risk taking one ( Jacubiak on for Holmes-Dennis.). Anyway on to the marks.



Bonham 7 Did nothing wrong, handled the ball well with a couple of good saves but really not a lot to do.





Partington 6.5 Apologised too much for poor passing and does not make the most of his height but that said he had a reasonable game defending without being able to get forward very often.

J. Clarke 7 Strong and dependable playing left back. he defended pretty well and even when beaten for pace managed to block most crosses well.

Lockyer 7.5 Did a good job against the robust Ched Evans and most of the time had him in his pocket. Reads situations so well and has that little bit of pace and timing to win most battles.

Craig 8 A contender for Man of the Match he excels in these tight matches and together with the defence as a whole this season can take great pride from most of his performances and a goals against record that can stand up in the history of our club and is remarkable considering we have been in a relegation fight during the majority of the season.

Holmes-Dennis 7 He's a good footballer who I think will excel next season if he can get a good pre season training in him. Good on the ball yesterday and gave us that bit of width and class and broke through on a couple of occasions.





Upson 7 Good on the ball most of the time including having the skill on a couple of occasions to chip the ball over a player and get past him. always seems to have one disastrous pass in him but overall he had a good game and was always involved. I don't think there is much problem with any of our midfielders individually but it is getting a balance between attacking and defensive players. the three together is too much a defensive unit especially at home and really we need to pressurise more as a team instead of individuals.

O. Clarke 7.5 Continues his improved form and very unlucky not to add to his eight goals with another stunning strike from the edge of the area that beat the keeper and struck the post. it followed a twist and turn similar to his goal at Wimbledon. his confidence has risen so much he probably over did it a bit attempting long range shots when a cooler presence might have seen us more successful but if either had flown over the keeper and in we would have been raving about it for weeks.

Ogogo 8.5 MOM best I have seen him play. Covered every bit of the ground and put in some great crunching tackles

Sercombe - 6.5 tried hard throughout and didn't look to me to be a player who didn't want to be here but rather a player who's shooting boots have deserted him this season. Maybe he has not been happy with the role that GC asks him to play but at least he has been selected unlike Chris Lines. I would still like to see him playing for us next season in a side that hopefully will have more attacking options after the summer dealings.





Clarke-Harris 5 Another disappointing performance overall where it looked like he had pulled up in the pre season warm up and was limping a bit after an early challenge . he still did his best and held the ball up well even though double marked when there was any danger.





Sub: Jakubiak 5 You can look on this mark as a 7 but could not give it really as he was only on the pitch a few minutes but during that time he managed to bring a good save from the keeper and give us a bit of attacking intent. Must start the game next week and amazes me that he has been mainly fourth choice recently-really strange considering our general lack of goals and the fact that we lack pace throughout the side.





Crowd 7 Have to say playing Fleetwood was like playing in the Conference (National League) again with only just being outnumbered support wise but little in the way of atmosphere from the home supporters with aground that was disjointed and small but still to big for them!! Our supporters provided the usual good vocal support despite a prettv poor game to watch in bloody cold conditions and at last were rewarded by the fact that we were mathematically safe for another season

Ref 5 he was Ok for a new referee except that if you are going to pretty well book for every foul then you have to be consistent to both sides and not totally disregard a bad foul by a home player just because you had already booked him! Yet again the Fleetwood team pretty much represented their Manager by going down easily and often and feigning injury. I have to say that the answer to getting poor decisions not going your way is not to respond by giving away obvious fouls under the referees nose.

Fleetwood 6 Just edged possession but we had more shots than them. they were there for the taking really had we a little more attacking intent. They have a nasty side about them which is hardly surprising for a side managed by Joey B***** but think they might struggle next season but with Ched Evans and Madden scoring then they always have a chance.



GC Mission accomplished and his record speaks for itself with one game to go- Played 24 Won 8 Drawn 10 and lost 6 Points 34 out of 72 and a pretty impressive away record of Played 13 Won 5 Drawn 6 Lost 2. Add to this we have under GC got results at Fleetwood, Wimbledon, Coventry, Plymouth, Gillingham, Scunthorpe, Portsmouth, Accrington and Southend- all places where our record over time has been pretty awful. our problem has; all season; been at the Mem where I believe if we lose next week it will be our worst ever home record. it is clear to see that our problems have been in the creative department and the failure to find a partner for Clarke-Harris who can actually score goals. I am sitting on the fence until next season on GC because his problem longer term is that he has to try to keep a similar defensive tightness but with more creative and pacy players included. it's not time for a complete clear out- far from it, the basis of a reasonable side is there but we need 6 or 7 players in with probably about 10 going out. This may sound like a total clearout but really it is mainly unused players who would be going out.

For me something along the lines of

OUT Slocombe , Smith, Leadbitter, Bennett, Matthews, Mayonese, Mensah, Nichols, Payne, Jacubiak, Lines



IN Goalkeeper (hopefully Bonham), 2 Wingers, 2 Strikers, 2 attacking central midfielder.



Anyway that is for the future. for now well done GC and the lads for mission accomplished. Let's go out with a more attacking outlook next Saturday and see what we are like under no pressure. UTG